FIRST THINGS FIRST

                                           

 

Psalm 138:8: NKJV
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the works of Your hands. 

I woke this morning to the gritting of my teeth.  My jaws seemingly locked shut from the thoughts of "what ifs" running through my mind.  I heard the Holy Spirit say, "Come spend some time with Me."- but the stress of my circumstances seemed to great to focus on spending time instead I needed an answer.  I prayed vaguely and  read a few passages in the Word, yet still was uncomfortable.  Lord, how am I going to be able to do this? I questioned before listening. I stressed again and again.

"Come, spend some time with Me....take a shower, get dressed and let's spend our time together.  Go out today and get your coffee. - But Father, (I so rudely interrupted) I have coffee right here!  - "No, go out, besides you really don't like that coffee anyway."  

     I had been hearing lately, "Don't throw everything [mail] away before looking at it." 

So I had a free coffee coupon on my table and didn't even realize it!  

Still gritting my teeth, entering my car -  my tire light is shining bright to tell me something is wrong.  I make my way to the coffee shop with my engine humming to the tune of needing an oil change.  

I quickly remind myself of the principles of the Word: My God shall supply all of my needs.....I started to vaguely pray for others...praying in the Spirit. Yet still my jaws are tight with fear.

     I walk into the coffee shop to three beautiful young ladies behind the counter who are extremely stressed.  I order my free coffee and with the most polite mannerisms I've seen in young people they began to serve me. "Yes ma'am. Thank you...Do you want to upgrade?" They were so beautifully sincere. 

Waiting for my coffee, I hear the stress in their voices of the concerns of college life.  "I may not even be able to go to school next semester" - "I know, I'm failing two of my classes, I'm just hoping I pass"...."Right, me too!" I don't know with my schedule and having to work...." The conversation made my heart heavy. 

     My immediate thought was  - girls it isn't that bad - don't speak so negatively! So, I opened my mouth with the authority of God behind me: "Girls, it will be o.k. - don't stress.  I have a daughter who will be 21 this year and is a senior...we've not had to pay......"

I began to tell them my testimony and encourage them. Their faces turned from stress to hope all of the while continuing to serve me. Speaking sincerely and looking to help me. As I leave I began to pray:

Father in the matchless name of Jesus Christ,  I call to the Your grace and ask that you would bless those young women to be able to go to college as you have done for my daughter!  I declare  You would pour out your wisdom upon them and give them understanding to be able to finish and finish strong.  Father, I declare that the resources are there for them to be able to go to school.  This day, I declare and speak { Daniel }  over them - and because they have shown me kindness with sincerity - You Lord God would show them Your favor. I declare that you would send your ministering spirits to surround them such that stress does not overtake them and they would find You in such a time as this!  I continued as I pulled into my parking space. 

     You see, I felt more blessed and at peace about my own circumstances now that I've spent time with God. I would have missed the fact that I just had a free coffee in my hands with superior service behind it.  I would have missed an opportunity to encourage someone else that which I have overcome! I know what He can do, yet they have not seen the glory of the Lord? Now, is my situation/circumstance really that bad compared to never knowing God? Or is it just where I had my focus that magnified the problem more than magnifying the Master? 

So I turned my face from my problems and focused on my God.  

God is not a man that He should lie.  He fully is capable of keeping His promises! Focus on Him today.  Focus on His power more than your circumstances.  Yes, absolutely it is easier said than done, but serve Him and it will put things right back into perspective.  It's first things first! Focus on what He wants you to do- what you are called to do.  It doesn't make your problems disappear, it puts them into perspective.  He knows, He sees- yet spend some time with Him (whatever that may look like including witnessing to others') and watch how He will take care of you!  First spend some time with Him and what He wants to do - first things first! 

Surround yourself with others' who will keep you encouraged - remember some have not even seen the glory of the Lord!  And for those who may be reading this, do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, you too shall be saved - the right to access to the Master for your circumstances and problems!  

Will you pray this with me today -  

Father, I may not know you now, but I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins.  I ask You to come into my heart today to help me with those things that concern me.  I believe that as I have opened my mouth and accepted You in to my life, I am now saved by Your grace through faith.  

In Jesus name Amen.  

Get connected to a body of believers' and allow God into every area of your life! 

Isaiah 60:1 

60 Arise, shine;

For your light has come!

And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

² For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,

And deep darkness the people;

But the Lord will arise over you,

And His glory will be seen upon you.

³ The Gentiles shall come to your light,

And kings to the brightness of your rising.  

It's time to grow,

Dee-Dee Lee

THE VIEW OF MY TATTOO (TATTOOED 2)

Leviticus 19:28

King James Version (KJV)

28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

New King James Version (NKJV)

19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

      Sometime ago, one morning while at work, a young lady approached me to share her new tattoos. She was so excited she spent most of her morning showing them off to the entire staff. My initial reaction was one of disgust until I recalled the view of my own tattoo during the midst of our conversation. 

      I was in the mirror one morning cutting my hair when a glimpse of my tattoo was a blatant reminder of my past decisions. As I viewed my tattoo I felt a sense of regret. I had now come to know Christ and knew what the Word of God had to say on the matter. So I can be neither judge nor jury here, but want to again share a part of my testimony. 

      We continued our conversation as she shared with me her inspiration for the tattoo. She believed in witchcraft and the ideas of being a witch. She believed in worshiping the moon and the stars amounted to worshiping Mother Earth. She believed she could center herself and be at peace by howling at the moon (not sure if that’s applicable to witchcraft- but okay). The tattoo was a portion of her beliefs on witchcraft. Well, I instantaneously believed this was an opportunity for me to witness to her, so I started:

- Well, that is very interesting.
- Yea, I’m so pumped! Do you have tattoos Dee?
- Yep, but I won’t get anymore.
- Why?

- Well, I am saved. I am a Christian. I choose to follow the principles and teachings of Christ. I believe that my body is the temple of Christ and I should treat it as such. The Holy Spirit is the occupant of my temple and I don’t want to grieve or dishonor my occupant in anyway. I believe the Word of God teaches us that our bodies are not our own. So, I am very mindful of what I put into my body. I choose not to decorate my temple like a house which will deteriorate over time and you can see the visible results of such. I don’t believe in worshiping the moon and the stars by the way; I believe in worshiping the Maker of those things. I find my center in Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior and my peace comes from knowing God intimately. I've heard it put this way: Would you put a bumper sticker on a Bentley? In other words, it’s like saying, ‘God you did alright but here let me give you some decorating tips!’ Well, that may be a little over the top for some but it’s what I believe. Besides, tattooing is addictive and God has delivered me from many things and tattooing, for me, is one of them. While I understand the art of it and personal reasons for doing so which I can respect, I still have to remember for me - my body is not my own. 

- Well, I believe I occupy my house and it’s a canvas and I will put art all over it. 

She laughed and continued on her way.

      So many thoughts ran through my mind at that moment.  

What looks good to you may not be good for you –for instance, my mom’s butterfly tattoo from her teens looks like it returned to the caterpillar stage! 

Can I get the job I want with this tattoo?

What will I tell my children when they ask about why do I have a tattoo and God is supposedly telling them no? When others’ look at me and I’m trying to witness about Christ, will this make my witnessing opportunity more effective or less effective?

Was the feeling of condemnation worth it? When I’m convicted about never getting another one, will I obey or succumb to the temptation?

      I prayed as she walked away and hoped a portion of what I said stuck with her. She was eventually let go from the job so I never would have the opportunity to speak to her again on the subject. 

      More recently, I was reminded of my past decisions again when a friend asked me why I chose the gecko on my ankle. They continued by posing the question of all tattoos having meaning. Although I chose not to answer them at that time, it caused a lot of reflection to occur. I thought back to why I picked this particular one. It reminded me of a story my good friend told me about geckos growing up as a child in the Philippines. And so yes I am reminded of my friend whenever I look at it, yet I am also reminded I’ve put something permanent on my body because of temporary feelings. I found a permanent solution for a temporary problem. No honor of any kind—to anyone—because it dishonors God. I recalled my choice and recalled the day God would convict me to no longer defame my temple. 

      So here I am thinking about my tattoos again, realizing I’m back to reminiscing on the first blog I wrote. I hope those who read my testimony will not feel condemnation nor put any further markings on their bodies. I hope those who have none will choose to keep their temple sacred. I encourage you to know who you are in Christ, a magnificent, priceless being created by God. And yes, I still believe what I believe:

We don’t put bumper stickers on Bentleys'.
  

Live Blessed,

With the Love of Christ, my Lord and Savior
Dee-Dee

 Psalm 24:1New King James Version (NKJV)
The King of Glory and His Kingdom
A Psalm of David.24 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.

Romans 8

New International Version (NIV)
Life Through the Spirit
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Philippians 4:8
New International Version (NIV) 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

THE WOMEN

     I recently saw a post on Facebook by a young woman in which stated that FB friends shouldn’t take the place of real life relationships and she prayed that one would discern the difference this year. I wasn’t sure whom she was talking to, but my initial reaction was to overlook this statement because I felt it had nothing to do with me. This statement would replay over and over later in my mind. I would not be able to let this statement go for sometime into the evening so my next response was should I discern for myself had I established FB friends instead of real life  relationships. The answer? A resounding “yes.”

      I spent some time praying and seeking God about this particular area of my life. I asked God why didn’t I establish the two new friendships as He had directed last year? Why did I only have friends at work, which are really co-workers not friends otherwise I would spend time with them outside of work. Why didn’t I have any female friends outside of my best friend of over twenty-five years and my sister-in-law? What about the friends from previous states where I had lived? Just an email here and there doesn’t make it a friendship, besides we never see or even call one another.

      So here I am writing to you, the thing I love to do the most because I want to help - you’ve guessed it, women! I’ve received a revelation that in my desire to help women, I have neglected to establish friendships with women. I do spend time witnessing to others’ which I totally adore doing so. I want to honestly open my heart to women so they may see the glory of restoration available to them from the Most High God through Jesus Christ. So again, why don’t I have any friends? Let me add this drop of reality: I do not have any male friends either, but this is because I completely choose to do so. I don’t date, nor have friends that are “boys”. You should have caught that! For me, until God sends my man of valor into my life, I choose to have the companionship of men in the company of many- church. It’s a safety net for me as I live in obedience to the Word of God. Maybe chit-chat here and there at gatherings, etc, but nothing pass that- again by choice. When I am completely available to “court” and marry, I look forward to it!

      As I spent more time in meditation, two words came to me: The Women. As I received more revelation on these two words, I realized I’ve open my heart to complete strangers across the world, but not to those near me. Why? The women of my past hurt me severely and as I scanned my past, I realized I had forgiven these women, but put up a blockade towards developing new friendships with women.

      I became I little unsettled as I realized this is one of the major reasons I don’t regularly participate in our Women of Virtue ministry. It is directed by a true Proverbs 31 woman, yet I can’t get pass a ministry with just women? Sad, because it’s so much available to me within this ministry. Yet a picture of cackling hens seems to overwhelm me- yes, of course it’s a trick of the Enemy!

      So here I am. What do I do? First, allow God to truly heal me from the hurt and pain from The Women: the ones who died…the ones who slept with….the woman who stole….the woman who lied… the woman who denied….the fake one, the gossiper, the backstabber; the woman who spewed venom from her lips….the woman who accused…the woman who abused…the woman who assumed; the drug addict, the deceiver, the unbeliever. Second, allow the Holy Spirit to guide and show me the friendships that God wants me to establish and trust God to develop that relationship. Third, realize no one is perfect and I may get hurt again, but this time, God will be with me to mend or even defend.

      I am ready now Lord, I’m sorry that I have blocked those whom You have sent to partner, prepare, propel or even just love me. I repent in the name of Jesus as I recommit to establish new friendships this year.   I commit to participate in the women’s ministry because I know that I cannot go this road completely alone and I don’t want to- besides, You created a team, an army and even Jesus had help. I praise You that you created me as a woman to become a W.O.V. a woman who wins, a woman of empowerment! I am committed to being a good, Christian friend to others. I will seek out new friendships with great expectancy. I am ready to be able to share my heart with the women you send in my path and continue to minister to those whom You’ve assigned. I can still trust those who are trustworthy because I first put my trust in You and you will guide and protect me. I am thankful for your post- you know who you are- thankful that yes, I have discerned the difference.

Coffee anyone?

Praise be to God!

With the love of Christ,

Dee-Dee McDuffie
019/dlm
*I always apply scipture with anything that I write, but I didn't feel it was necessary, please know- you must first show yourself friendly if you want friends.  It's in the Bible- believe.